System of forming sheet material



P 1948. L. LESAVOY SYSTEM OF FORMING SHEET MATERIAL Filed July 3, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR v I. LAWRENCE LESAVOY BY ATTORNEY April 20, 1948. 1. L. LESAVOY 2,439,939

SYSTEM OF FORMING SHEET MATERIAL Filed July 3, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ILAWEENQE LESAVCE ATTORNE" Patented Apr. 20, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SYSTEM OF FORMING SHEET MATERIAL I. Lawrence Lesavoy, Allentown, Pa. Application July 3, 1945, Serial No. 603,043

4 Claims.

guide bar adapted to operatively receive extruded rods to form the beads of Figure 6, and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective of another form of sheet construction adapted to be fabricated by the method of this invention.

Figures 1 to 5 disclose an apparatus for rolling plastic sheets according to one form of my invention-the particular embodiment shown being a system for beading the lateral edges of the rolled forming rolls. This method has the limitation sheet.

that only relatively little thickness can be added for the formation of the bead, if conventional known methods are employed. It is accordingly within the contemplation of my invention to provide a system of rolling sheet material that will enable ribs, beads or laminated sections, both thick and thin, to be readily and conveniently joined to the sheet while it is being formed by a calender roll process.

Another object of this invention is to enable lengths or sections of diiferent materials or colors to be added to sheet material during the rolling thereof, whereby reinforced or aesthetically attractive sheets are produced.

And it is within the contemplation of this invention to accomplish the aforesaid objectives by means of a relatively simple and continuously operated system.

. Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings and the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the apparatus of my invention for making a plastic sheet with beaded lateral edges.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a heating cage adapted for use within a roller of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1.

The apparatus includes a hopper l5 for the semi-fluid plastic material 19 out of which a web of sheeting is to be formed, the outlet [6 of the hopper being disposed above the calender rollers I! and I8. These rollers are adapted to engage known means which are not herein shown because they are well-known in the art. The portion of the apparatus hereinabove described is substantially in accordance with conventional practice.

Above the said hopper I 5 are the auxiliary feed rolls 22 which operatively receive therebetween the two extruded plastic rods 23 and 24, said rods emerging from outlets 44 and 45 of the extrusion apparatus 25. Said apparatus may consist of any known conventional method of extruding plastic material, and is accordingly not herein set forth in detail. The said feed rolls 22, which are actuated by means not herein shown, guide extruded rods 23 and 24 towards the hopper to form beaded edges, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

Although in the embodiment herein shown an extrusion apparatus is associated with the rolling apparatus, the invention is not limited to such a combination, inasmuch as pre-fabricated rods 23 and 24 may be employed within the scope of my Figure 4 is a transverse section of Figure 1 inventiontaken substantially along line 4-4.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of a portion of the sheet of Figure 1, showing a beaded edge.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of another form of sheet adapted for fabrication with the apparatus of this invention, showing an undercut bead.

The said hopper I5 is provided with a guide bar 26, having two holes 21 and 28 shaped to conform with the extruded rods 23 and 24 and adapted to slidably receive said rods during their 5 downward movement toward outlet 5. The said holes 21 and 28 are spaced so as to correspond dimensionally with the circumferential grooves 29 and 30 on roller H. In the preferred construction of this invention, said guide bar 26 is remov- Fi re '7 is a fr ment ry horiz n l axial .50 able, so that it may be replaced by another guide tion through two coacting rollers, substantially like those shown in Figure 1, adapted to produce the sheet construction of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective of a porbar containing holes of a different configuration to conform with the cross-sections of diiferently shaped extruded rods.

The said circumferential grooves 29 and 3E! on tion of the apparatus of Figure 1, but showing a roller 11 are so proportioned as to be able to accommodate the extruded rods as they pass therethrough, the rollers being sufliciently spaced apart as to permit the sheet 28 to be in contiguous relation to rods 23 and 24.

The said rollers I! and, I8 are internally heated, in a manner to be hereinafter set forth, the heat being applied at the region of the grooves. The arrangement is such that during the downward passage of the rods and the sheet, heat is applied at the points of contact 3la of the rods and sheet, whereby these parts are fused together. This action is possible because the sheet is still in a semi-plastic state-the heat and pressure of the rollers at the point of fusion augmenting the sealing efiect to form a fusion joint.

The apparatus for providing localized heat in the calender rolls consists, in the embodiment illustrated, of the cage 3| comprising an arrangement of tubes and heating elements in predeter mined positions. In the particular design illustrated, the cage contains two tubular end coils 32 and 33 joined by transverse tubular rods 34. Electric heating elements 35 and 3B are disposed within the said end coils-and although the other coils are hollowand empty in the'parti'cular form shown, it is within the contemplation of the invention to employ suitable heating elements in any ofthe other tubular members 34 when required to suit a particular case.

The said cage 3! is disposed within roller 11, with the end coils 35 'and36 in the region of the grooves 29'and'3 One terminal of heating element 35 is electrically connected by conductor 36 to the armature ring 'ti'fixed-ly mounted on shaft 38, the ring of insulation '80 "electrically separating the armature .from "said shaft and the roller i! proper. The other end '43 of the heating element 35 is grounded totherdller 11. In frictional engagement with the armature "31 is the brush "4! which is electrically connected to 'a 'source of electrical energy 42. In the particular embodiment illustrated, 'the'twolheating elements 35"and 36 are connected in parallel, although if desired they may be connected in'iserie's.

For rolling a continuous sheet to which is fused an extruded bead .of predetermined 'undercut cross-section, the apparatus disclosed in Figures '7 and 8 are employed-this .being substantially similar to the method'hereiriabove 'setforth, with certain modifications. If it .is to be assumed that the shee't' l (see Figure '16) is to have superimposed thereupon the .undercut bead 45, extruded rods la an'd fibare employed (Figure 8), said rods being shaped'like the sa'idbead 45. The said rods 45a and 451) are operatively'fed'towards the hopper by any known methodsand are directed th-IOllgh 'thelguide bar 26:1,. slidably-associated with the hopper substantially in'the manher of the first-described form of my invention. The said guide bar 26a contains apertures 46 .and ll shaped. to con'fo'rm to the cross-section of the said rods 45a and 45b andproportioned to slidably receive these rod-s.

Byreferr-ing to Figure? it willlbeseen that'the two rollers 48 and 49 are adapted to receive therebetween the sheet 44. The roller 48 is also ,provided with acircumferential groove 50 adapted to accommodate one of :the extruded -rods-said roller 43 containing at the apposite end another circumferential groove like 50 'for 'operatively accommodating the other of the extruded rods. In the operation of this apparatua'the-extruded rods, such as 4511, are so fed towards the rollers that the undercut portion 51 is dispos d "0 4 wardly, whereby such portion is brought into facing relation with the sheet 34.

The roller 48 also contains therein heating means similar to that hereinabove described, the heating element 35 being disposed in the region of circumferential groove 59. The arrangement is such that the undercut rod 45a i fused to the sheet 44 to produce a construction substantially like that shown in Figure 6. g

It is apparent that by replacing the guide bar 26a with another one containing differently shaped apertures, different types of beads, including those of dilferent undercut configurations, can be operatively applied to flat sheets in accordance with the method of this invention. The removal of the guide bars can readily be effected through handle 52. It is also apparent that instead.,of a bead-like member 45, a flat member 53 can be attached to the sheet 44 (Figure 9) in accordance with the method of this invention.

It is understood that other additional formsand modifications of the apparatus constituting this invention can be employed beyond and in addition to those hereinbeiore described, all within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. man apparatus for rolling a continuous sheet "of plastic material with .a longitudinal extruded bead superimposed thereon, a .pairof coacting rollers, :a hopper'thereabove for containing the material to be rolled in semi-plastic condition, said hopper having an outlet in feeding relation to said rollers, extruding means for forming a rod of said bead material, a guide bar associated with said hopper and containing an aperture shaped to substantially conform with the cross-section :of the rod and proportioned to slidably receive the 'rod, roller means interposed between the extruding means and the guide bar for directing the extruded rod through said aperture and said Shopper outlet to the said coacting rollers, one .of said rollers containing a circumferentially grooved portion for operatively receiving therein said rod, the said rollers beingshaped to operatively accommodate therebetween said rod and 'said .shee't :material in contiguous relation, and heating means within one of said rollers and positioned adjacent said grooved portion, whereby the rod and *sheet. materials will befused togetherat their region of contact while passing through the rollers,

2. In an apparatus for rolling a continuous sheet of plastic material with a longitudinal extruded bead superimposed thereon, a pair of coacting rollers, a ho'pper th'ereabove for containing the material .to be rolled in semi-plastic condition, said hopper having an outlet in feeding relation to said rollers, means to feed to the rollers an extruded rod of the bead material, said means including aguide bar associated with said hopper and containing an aperture shaped to substantially conform with the cross-section of the rod and proportioned to slidably receive the rod, said bar being in removable relation to the hopper whereby it can be replaced with another selected guide bar, the rollers being shaped to op'eratively'accommodate therebetween said rod and the said sheet in contiguous relation, and heating means on one of said rollers and pasitioned adjacent the regions of contact of said sheet and rod whilepas'sing through the rollers, whereby the rod will be fused tothe sheet.

3. In an apparatus for rolling a continuous sheet of plastic material with an extruded bead of predetermined undercut cross-section superimposed thereon, a pair of coacting rollers, a hopper thereabove for containing the material to be rolled, said hopper having an outlet in feeding relation to said rollers, means to feed to the rollers an extruded rod shaped to conform to the undercut head, said means including a guide bar disposed within and extending across the hopper and containing an aperture shaped to substantially conform with the cross-section of said extruded rod and proportioned to slidably receive the rod, the rollers being shaped to operatively accommodate therebetween the rod and said sheet in contiguous relation, one of the said rollers containing a circumferential groove adapted to receive the said extruded rod with the undercut portion radially outwardly disposed with respect to the grooved roller, whereby such portion will be brought into operative contact with the sheet adjacent the other roller, and heating means at least on one roller and positioned adjacent the regions of contact of said sheet and rod while passing through the rollers whereby the rod will be fused to the sheet.

4. In an apparatus for rolling a continuous sheet of plastic material with a longitudinal bead superimposed thereon, a pair of coacting rollers, a, hopper thereabove for containing the material to be rolled in semi-plastic condition, said hopper having an outlet in feeding relation Number I. LAWRENCE LESAVOY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Smith Aug. 22, 1916 Gratton Aug. 21, 1917 Boyer Mar. 18, 1919 Hearne July 20, 1926 Jenett Feb. 16, 1937 Fowler June 27, 1939 Bierer Nov. 7, 1939 MacDonald Sept. 12, 1944 

